Hitachi, Johnson Controls partner for advanced green batteries

Hitachi and Johnson Controls have announced a partnership aimed at creating advanced energy storage for hybrid and electric vehicles to comply with green standards.

The deal will see the two companies working closely to develop advanced batteries which can be both competitive in pricing and energy provision. The development of next-generation batteries could please environmentalists who want to see lower power consumption and less emissions from petrol-using cars.

Both companies will focus efforts on research and development of motive and non-motive advanced energy storage, including Lithium-ion batteries. They have also vowed to work together on procurement, production, marketing, sales, and standardisation of the technology they invent or discover.

While not limiting themselves to any one sector for the battery technology involved in the partnership, both Hitachi and Johnson Controls have been strong players in the automotive battery industry, suggesting that this is likely to be a key focal point for their efforts.

The companies revealed that if any major contracts with car manufacturers are signed they will work jointly on the production of the required batteries. Hitachi CEO of battery systems, Yoshito Tsunoda, suggested advances in clean battery technology and efficient energy storage must happen for sustainable, global economic growth.